Schumer Speaks up for Cideries, Against Labeling

By Tom Coddington

THIS WILL HELP THEM — Jim Thomson of the Delaware County Industrial Development Agency, at left, listens as Senator Schumer speaks about the legislation he is preparing to help cideries such as Awestruck.
T.W. Coddington/The Reporter SIDNEY — On April 4, United States Senator Charles “Chuck” Schumer made a trip to Sidney to visit Awestruck Cider, and was impressed with the progress the business has made in its five years. To make sure that it will continue to grow, he is working on legislation that will help the business and others like it.

He told Awestruck owners Patti Wilcox and Casey Vitti, along with Delaware County officers who were present, that he felt that the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is wrong in the way it wants producers of cider to label their products above a certain alcohol content. “The terms, ‘sparkling’ and ‘carbonated’ are treated all wrong. They confuse consumers, and that is idiotic,” he stated. “They don’t need those labels.”

I WILL SUPPORT YOU — U.S. Senator Charles Schumer tells Awestruck Cider owners Patti Wilcox and Casey Vitti that he will see to it that they and other cidery owners in the state will not have to deal with “idiotic” rules.
T.W. Coddington/The Reporter He also remarked, “Hard cider is a growing and successful industry in New York. It has grown 300 per cent in the last five years. We have 90 cideries in the state, including Awestruck, and Wayside (in Andes) in Delaware County, and that’s more than any other state.

Schumer, in 2014, was the leader of the CIDER Act, which lowers the tax of hard cider, compared to the higher tax on beer and wine.

“We are proud that you came here to benefit us,” Wilcox told the senator. “We are glad for your help.”

Awestruck Cider began in Walton in 2013 and quickly outgrew the space there. The Sidney site is much larger, and now has 16 employees.